A Family Affair
by Eclectic Butterfly
Summary: Two missing children. One worried mother. It all comes down to family, and there is nothing the Leverage team does better than family.
1. Chapter 1

Two boys, their looks so similar they would always be recognized as brothers, ran across the grass to the playground equipment. "Hey, hey, hey! Be careful!" Jessie Emerson called after them. She shook her head as she settled herself onto a picnic bench. From where she was, she could see them as they wove in and out around the monkey bars. "They never listen."

"Boys will be boys," the woman who was sitting on the other side of the bench said with a laugh. She exchanged a knowing look with Jessie, her dark brown eyes amused. "How old are yours?"

"Seven and five, going on three some days. But I wouldn't give them up for anything." Jessie laughed as her eyes found her boys at the swings. It wasn't often, these days, that she was able to bring them to the park, so she was glad the weather had been good. It was wonderful to feel the sun and light breeze against her face.

"I bet you're hoping the next one is a girl," the woman said, getting her attention again. She sent a pointed look and nod in the direction of Jessie's prominent belly. She flipped her blonde braid over her shoulder. "Did you find out, or do you and your husband want to be surprised?"

Glancing down, Jessie smiled and placed her hand on her stomach. "Oh, I know and have a name picked out," she said, remembering seeing the ultrasound for the first time and hearing the heartbeat of the life growing within her. "James and Eddie are terribly disappointed. They are unimpressed with our family expansion."

"I'm sure they will change their minds when the baby is here."

"Oh, I hope so. How many children do you have?"

Her question received no response. When she lifted her gaze, the woman was no longer there. Frowning, Jessie looked around the park and saw no trace of her. "Strange," she said, shaking her head. Her gaze returned to where she had last seen her sons.

They were no longer there.

Her breath catching in her throat, Jesse pushed herself up and tried not to panic. It had only been a minute; they couldn't possibly have vanished in that short amount of time. They had to have run to some other part of the play equipment. She scanned the children who running and shouting, and tried to spot Eddie's bright red shirt he had insisted on wearing or James' green baseball cap. "Boys! Eddie? James! Answer me!"

Though several parents looked in her direction, there came no obedient response. Fighting to remain calm, and mentally telling herself the boys hadn't heard her, Jessie hurried forward. She had only gone a few steps when a hand curled around her arm.

"If you want to see your sons again, I suggest you come with me and do everything I say," an unfamiliar voice said in her ear.

* * *

There were days Nathan Ford wondered how his life had become what it was. He'd once had a happy marriage and a successful career. If anyone had even suggested he would become a master criminal, avenging wrongs done to those who were helpless, he would have laughed and told that person to have his head checked by a specialist.

But here he was, with some of the most gifted criminals in the world. At one time, he had chased each of them, intent on bringing them to justice. Now, though, they were his new family.

"Why are you doing that?"

"Because this is how it's done, Parker. Don't touch anything. I have a system—Parker! What did I just say?"

Some days, Nate had to wonder if _he_ was the one who should have his head examined.

Outside the sky was gray with rain clouds, and rain beat against the windows. Few people would be out and about, though the bar beneath them was filled with men and women escaping the bad weather.

"We need a case," Sophie Devereux, a beautiful grifter, said as she leaned against Nate's left shoulder. She gave a dramatic groan as she hid her face. "We are going crazy with boredom. We need something to do. We need out of this apartment."

"Well, I can't conjure a case out of thin air," Nate said, keeping his eye on his thief who was seated on the counter. "Besides, you all have your own places, don't you? Why are you here?"

Parker, ears like a hawk, sent a grin at him. "It's more fun here. Anyway, it's not that bad," the blonde said with her usual cheer.

Sophie hummed a thoughtful, dissatisfied note. "You're both probably right," she finally said, disappointed. "This down time could be a good thing. Let me check my voicemail. I could have had a callback."

That pulled Nate's gaze from Parker harassing his hitter/chef, who was attempting to cook in peace. Any objection he might have made he swallowed as he watched Sophie walk away. Shaking his head, he raised his mug of coffee to his lips.

"Yo, Nate, you're not going to let her take a callback, are you?" Alec Hardison asked, hurrying over with his laptop. "You remember what happened last time."

Thoughts of the horrified silence that had been the reaction to the last play Sophie had performed in filled Nate's mind. He quickly shook them away. "Unless you have something for us, there's no way for us to stop her," he said in answer.

"Nah, man, it's quiet. But seriously, Nate, you cannot let her do it. None of us have recovered."

Ignoring the hacker's complaints, Nate's attention went to the cell phone that began to ring on the kitchen counter. Wiping his hands on his apron, Eliot Spencer stepped over to it and accepted the call. "Yeah," was all he said. After a moment, he added, a southern twang entering his voice, "Yes, this is Dr. Abernathy. Who's calling?"

By this time, the rest of the team was paying attention. Eliot pulled the phone away from his ear and glanced at the screen. With a shrug, he tossed the phone down on the counter. "Wrong number."

Something about that didn't sound right and Nate frowned. "Really? A wrong number that specifically asked for Dr. Abernathy?"

"What can I say? My identities are that good," Hardison called over with glee. "It was probably a spam call."

Though he wasn't quite convinced, Nate thought no more about it as Parker tried to sneak a taste of whatever it was Eliot was cooking. "Parker!" the hitter exclaimed. "It's not done. Keep your fingers out."

"Nate! Look at this script," Sophie said at the same time. "Don't you think I would be perfect for this role?"


	2. Chapter 2

Wide eyed, Jessie stared as the tall, silver haired man, who weighed a cell phone in his hand. She shook her head, loosening the hand that had clamped over her mouth since the man had made the call. Why had they been talking about a Wes Abernathy? Who was that? What was going on?

"Where are my sons?" she demanded, filing away all of her questions until later. She moved to push herself out of the uncomfortable chair, but the hand that had kept her from speaking while the oh-so-brief conversation had taken place held her where she was. "I want to see them. Now!"

"We all want things we cannot have," the man said, turning towards her. "Your dear boys are elsewhere. I'm sure you can understand why. Only a foolish man keeps his important things all in one place."

"If you've hurt them—"

The man cut her off with a laugh. "I've had no reason to hurt them...yet," he said his tone pleasant despite the ominous words. "I'm sure you have taught both of your boys how to be obedient, as any good mother would, and they will remain unharmed."

A shiver went down Jessie's spine as she fought to maintain eye contact with the man. She refused to show any weakness. It just wasn't in her blood. "What do you want from me?"

He crouched in front of her. "It's really quite simple. The next time I dial a number on this phone, you're going to be the one to talk."

"Let me guess. You're going to have a specific script for me to follow," Jessie said derisively. She'd seen enough movies and tv shows to understand how a hostage situation worked, but the man's response surprised her.

"Of course not. You can say whatever you want to Dr. Wes Abernathy. In fact, I think you're going to have quite a bit to say to him once you get started."

* * *

As Sophie waxed poetic about the script in her hand, Nate only half listened. Parker had abandoned her observation of Eliot's cooking and had chosen to watch over Hardison's shoulder. In the middle of all the activity, the cell phone that was sitting on the counter rang.

Something about the sound this time drew everyone's attention. Eliot dried his hands on a towel and picked up the cell. "Dr. Abernathy speaking," he said, since he already knew the identity attached to the number.

As Nate watched he saw something shift in Eliot's eyes, and the younger man lowered the phone from his ear, hitting the speaker button as he did. He set the phone on the counter between himself and Nate. " —pleased to finally contact you, Doctor," the man on the other side of the phone was saying. "I have someone here who is anxious to talk to you."

'Who?' Nate mouthed, catching Eliot's eye in the ensuing pause. The long haired hitter shrugged his shoulders, clearly puzzled about the caller. Hardison rose from the couch in the living room and hurried over to get a look at the phone number.

"H-hello?" A female voice, unsteady and interspersed by static, spoke. "Is someone there?"

A frown creased Eliot's forehead. "Yes, this is Dr. Wes Abernathy," he said, sending a puzzled look at Nate. "Who is speaking?"

There was another pause. "Oh, God. Eliot? Is that you?" This time, the voice, shocked with an undercurrent of relief, came through with absolute clarity. "They said...I thought I would be speaking to a Wes Abernathy."

As recognition and horror vied for dominance in Eliot's eyes, his hands balled into fists. "Jessie?"

"Eliot, I don't know who these people are or what they want. They have guns and they have my—" The woman's quick words were cut off by a sharp cry and Eliot grabbed for the phone.

"Jessie? Jessie!"

Parker had uncurled from her perch on the back of the couch and slid to the ground, concern written on her face. Nate kept his eyes on Eliot, trying to gauge what the man would do. "Don't worry, Mr. Spencer," the first voice said with smug satisfaction. "She's still here, in one piece, and alive. For now."

"I don't care who you are, if you've hurt a single hair on Jessie's head, I will find you and make sure you regret this," Eliot spat out, his eyes blazing with a fury the team had only seen on rare occasions. "What do you want?"

"As I said, Jessica Emerson is unharmed, for now. What I want from you, Mr. Spencer, is a certain item you 'retrieved' from my possession four years ago. I'm sure you recall the rather priceless emerald necklace."

"Alan Wake," Eliot growled, recognition flashing in his eyes.

"Ah, you do remember me. Excellent. That will make this much easier. You know where that necklace went, and you will retrieve it for me. I would hate for things to get messy, but if you refuse, I'm afraid it will. I don't think this lovely woman here has had quite the same training as you when it comes to dealing with torture."

A sharp click ended the call. Eliot swore under his breath and grabbed the phone. "Eliot," Nate said calmly before any of the others could jump in with their own questions. "Before we get started, why don't you tell us who Jessie is."

It was more of a suggestion than a question. The hitter took several deep breaths before he lifted his gaze. "Jessie is my sister."

* * *

Angrily, Jessie bit down on the hand that had once again silenced her. The man let her go with and outraged cry of pain. "What is this all about?" she demanded, determined to take advantage of the moment. "What do you want from my brother? Why did you say I was going to talk to a Doctor Abernathy?"

Alan Wake heaved a sigh. "Come now, Miss Emerson," he said, pocketing the cell phone. "I'd hoped you would have some brains you would apply to the situation, or are you really this stupid?"

"You think I'm the stupid one? Do you think angering someone like my brother is a good thing?" Jessie countered, lacing her tone with all the contempt she could muster. "When the police—"

The man cut her off with a laugh. "In one breath, you threaten me with what your brother shall do to me and with the next, you mention the police. The two do not mix, Miss Emerson." He leaned over her, close to her ear. "Needless to say, it would go better for you, and your sons, if you were to keep from causing me any trouble."

For a moment, Jessie considered smacking him with her head, but decided she would just end up with a headache. "Trouble is something my family excels at."

Chuckling, the man straightened. "I'm sure you do,but I also know you would do anything for your family."

"I would do anything to _protect_ my family," Jessie corrected, glaring at him. "I don't suppose you've ever heard about how a mama bear reacts when her cubs are in danger."

"I have, as a matter of fact. However, in this situation the mama bear is caged and is in no position to do anything. Now, I must be off." He looked over at the two men who were standing behind Jessie. "Restrain her. Gag her if you don't care to hear her voice. I will leave it up to you."

Alarmed, Jessie watched him walk away. She twisted to look over her shoulder. Both of the men had grins on their faces. "Look at you two," Jessie said, knowing full well that she would provoke them. "I bet you feel so strong, intimidating a pregnant woman."

The one closest to her, who had been holding her in place, shrugged his shoulder. "Do we have any duct tape in this place?" he asked, glancing at his partner.


	3. Chapter 3

A low groan sounded in the darkness. "Eddie? Eddie is that you?" Seven year old James whispered. He'd been awake for awhile, having only his own breathing and heartbeat to keep him company. His calls for help had gone unanswered, and though he'd tried not to panic, he was relieved to hear something else.

"Yeah," came the groggy response a few moments. "Jimmy, where are we?"

James bit off his instinctive objection to the nickname. "I don't know, Eddie," he said. He tried to wiggle his hands, but as he'd found earlier, he couldn't get free. He could hope his younger brother wasn't in the same situation. "Can you move? I think you should come to where I am."

There was a pause. "I'll try," the five year old said. "Jimmy, where's Mom? Is she here? How'd we get here?"

"I don't know." It frustrated James to have to repeat himself. He was supposed to the man of the family, after all, and look after his brother and mother.

He heard the scrape of clothing against wood, and soon his brother was curled up against his side. "I want to go home," Eddie said, sounding absolutely miserable. "I'm hungry."

"Everything is going to be fine," James said with more confidence than he really felt. "Mom will call the police and they'll come find us. Until then, we'll just be brave like great, great-uncle Hubb and Garth were when they were shanghaied."

"Do you think they were scared?"

"Remember? Mom always said nothing scared Uncle Hubb, but I bet Uncle Garth was probably scared. Do you remember how they were in the Foreign Legion and fought?" As he kept talking, mostly to take his brother's mind off the situation they were in, James found his own fear and worry fading away.

That is, until light from a suddenly opened door blinded him.

* * *

With intense focus, Hardison typed on his keyboard. The rest of the team had gathered in the living/briefing room. "Alan Wake is a multimillionaire," the hacker called out, bringing up the man's picture for everyone to see. "He made his fortune in the oil business, and is a self proclaimed art aficionado."

Leaning back in his chair, Nate studied the picture. Standing in front of a skyscraper, Alan Wake was tall, almost skeletal in how thin he was, and his hair was a silvery gray. The smile on his face was reminiscent a shark, cunning and ruthless.

"What exactly did you steal from him?" Parker asked with the interest of a thief. The blonde sat cross legged on the couch, resting her elbows on her knees.

Everyone turned their attention to their hitter. "A seventeenth century gold and emerald necklace," Eliot said his tone emotionless. He'd remained silent since he'd told them he had a sister, but seemed to shake himself out of it. "Wake acquired it on the blackmarket, and a collector wanted it. I retrieved it four years ago."

"Who did you retrieve it for?" Sophia asked gently.

"A collector in New York by the name of Sy Larson."

A smile curved the grifter's lips and her gaze became dreamy. "Ah, yes. Sy. He's an immensely wealthy man and the parties he throws are fabulous. His collection is impressive. I found a lovely diamond tiara there once."

"Alright, so obviously Wake figured out who you are and now wants the necklace back," Nate said, getting back on track. He moved his gaze back to the monitors. "What else can you tell us, Hardison?"

A few taps on the keyboard changed the image displayed. A smiling woman, brown hair and blue eyes, was shown, and she had her arms around two young boys. All three had a distinct resemblance to Eliot.

"Jessica Emerson, mother of two, seven year old James and five year old Edward. This is the most recent picture I could find on her social media account, which hadn't been updated in quite awhile," Hardison explained. "She's been married to Mark Emerson for ten years and they live in a quaint little town in rural Kentucky."

"And she has no connection to Alan Wake?"

Hardison shook his head. "Mrs. Emerson works at a local grocery school according to her social security records. But, I did find a group of warehouses that Wake recently purchased in the same town."

"He could be holding Jessie there," Eliot realized.

"Hopefully, the boys are with their father and not anywhere near this whole thing," Nate said, his mind moving a hundred miles an hour. "Hardison, I want you to find Wake's phone number and track it. If he's smart, he'll have used a throw away phone to call but we don't want to just assume."

Glancing up, Hardison gave a nod. "If I had to guess, I'd say he doesn't get all of his money just from oil."

Frowning, Nate nodded, considering everything he knew so far. "Keep looking. The rest of us will prepare for a trip to Kentucky."

"Shouldn't we be heading to New York for the necklace?" Parker asked.

"If Wake did any kind of research, he knows I don't respond well to threats," Eliot said in a low voice. "I won't just do what they want."

"What about your sister?" Sophie asked, looking slightly bewildered. "Won't Wake hurt her?"

"There was one thing Wake didn't do when he called. Did anyone catch it?" Nate said, jumping back into the conversation. He glanced around the group. "Wake didn't give a deadline for when he expects Eliot to deliver the necklace. He's new at this."

An expression of understanding crossed Parker's face. "So he won't do anything to Eliot's sister until he figures that out. Cool."

"But we're going to have to move fast. It'll only be a couple hour flight from here to Kentucky." Nate stood up, signalling the end to the debriefing. "We'll know better what we can do once we're there."

Parker frowned as everyone stood up. "What? No 'Let's go steal a sister' or anything like that?"

* * *

Jessie wasn't sure exactly how long she'd been sitting in that stupid chair, but the pressure in her bladder was increasing steadily. With duct tape over her mouth, she couldn't voice her need and she wasn't entirely sure they would release her long enough to use the bathroom even if she could ask. Every time she tried to make eye contact, she tried to convey her discomfort.

The two goons were set on ignoring her, though.

Overhead, the warehouse lights had been turned on some time ago so she guessed it was dark out. How many hours had passed since she realized James and Eddie were missing?

While she was thinking about it, what was going on? Leaning her head back, Jessie looked up at the ceiling. Were her boys alright? How was her brother tied up in this whole thing? How long had he been in the states and hadn't told her?

"Excuse me? Hello!"

Shock surged through Jessie as the English accented voice rang out in the warehouse. "No one is supposed to be here," the man Jessie had named 'Goon A' in her mind, said. "What are we going to do?"


	4. Chapter 4

"We get rid of her. What else do you think we're supposed to do?" 'Goon B' responded in a low voice, rolling his eyes. "You stay with the woman and I'll deal with this."

To Jessie's relief, neither man pulled out a gun, though she knew they each had one. Goon A did, however, put his hand on her shoulder, no doubt to keep her from struggling and causing noise somehow. "Yoo hoo," the mysterious voice called out. "Is anyone here?"

Goon B set off and vanished from sight. Silence reigned for a long minute. Then, a dark haired woman in a business suit came sashaying out from among the boxes. "Oh, good," she said cheerfully. Though her eyes connected with Jessie's, she acted as though she hadn't seen the woman duct taped to the chair. "I was hoping I would find you here."

"Who are you?" Goon A said, nervously glancing around as he spoke. "This is private property. You, uh, you need to leave before I call the cops."

"You are selling the building, aren't you?" the woman asked. She gave a huff and began to dig in her purse. "This is what happens when I don't get a memo from my assistant. I cannot believe I had to come all the way down here for nothing."

"Lady, you better—" Goon A's statement was cut off and then the sound of a body hitting the floor sounded behind her.

Alarmed, Jessie twisted around. It took a long second, she recognized her older brother and her shoulders sagged in relief as. "Hey, Jess," Eliot said, brushing his hair out of his face. He stepped over the body on the floor to reach her. "Are you alright?"

He gave a start as he saw her belly and his eyes widened. Frustrated at the delay, Jessie made a sound in her throat. Swiftly, Eliot pulled the duct tape off her mouth. "Ow!" Jessie complained, working her mouth in an attempt to ease the pain. "That hurt. What are you doing here? _How_ did you get here so fast?"

"It's better to do it fast," Eliot said apologetically, ignoring her questions in his infuriating manner. He went to work on the tape that held her hands to the arm of the chair. "I didn't know you were expecting again, Jess. What are you, two weeks away from being due?"

"How would you know? You never call or let me know what is going on in your life. And yes, I am, thank you for noticing."

"Nate, we'll be on our way," the strange woman said as she walked closer. She knelt down and placed a large, yellow envelope on the floor. "There. That should be everything the police need to lock these two up for a long time."

"Eliot. Who is that?" Jessie asked with suspicion.

Smiling broadly, the woman straightened up. "Hello, darling. I'm Sophie. I'm a friend of your brother. We came to rescue you."  
With her hands free, Jessie flexed her wrists and eyed the woman with uncertainty. "Eliot?"

"You can trust her," Eliot said, attacking the tape around her ankles. "I'm sorry you had to get dragged into this whole thing, Jess. I'm going to get you back to your family and make sure this doesn't happen again, alright? I swear it."

"You found the boys, then?" Jessie asked hopefully, her concern for her sons overriding her curiosity about what he meant by 'this whole thing'. "Are they alright? I've been worried sick about them."

Eliot froze and then slowly brought his gaze up to hers. "What? What do you mean 'did I find the boys'? Aren't they with Mark?"

A cell phone began to ring, muffled slightly by Goon A's jacket. "Nate, I think we have a problem," Sophie said, a frown creasing her forehead.

"What I mean is these people, whoever they are, took my boys!" Jessie said, her voice rising. She ran her hands over her hair and then pushed herself up. "Eliot, what is going on? Why is this happening?"

"Whoa, calm down," Eliot said, gesturing in a placating way. "It's not good for the baby."

"Don't tell me what is or is not good for the baby! You have been here for five minutes! What do you know about anything?" Jessie shouted, her temper snapping. She spun on her heel and marched away.

Raising her eyebrows, Sophie smiled. "Jessie. Jessie!" Eliot said, raising his voice. "Where do you think you are going? The car is this way."

"I have been sitting here for hours, Eliot! Before I go anywhere, I am finding a bathroom!"

* * *

The team had set up at a hole in the wall hotel on the outskirts of town. As soon as Nate had heard the two Emerson boys were missing, he'd poured himself a drink. Cases always became ten times harder whenever children were involved.

Muttering to himself, Hardison had thrown himself into searching the internet for more information.

About an hour after the rescue had been pulled off, no doubt Eliot had taken a circuitous route to throw off any followers, Sophie entered the room first. "I like her," she declared to the three members of the team who had stayed behind.

From where she had been straightening the harness she'd insisted go with her wherever she went, Parker perked up. "She sounded like Eliot when he's really angry," she said with a grin.

Nate stood up as Jessie walked in. "You just had to have a room on the second floor, didn't you," the woman complained, sounding out of breath. She straightened as she realized the unfamiliar people. "Hello?"

"Jess, these are my friends," Eliot said as he closed the door. "That's Hardison, Parker, and Nathan Ford. They're going to help us get James and Eddie back."

Jessie's eyes flicked uncertainly from one to the other. "How? Are you some kind of police?"

Stepping forward, Nate offered his hand. "Mrs. Emerson, we specialize in this sort of thing," he said as Jessie reluctantly put her hand in his. He escorted her to the closest chair. His glare prompted Hardison to scramble over and clear the various electronics from it. "Why don't you have a seat? Your feet must be bothering you."

Protectively, Eliot took up position behind the chair as Jessie sat. "Jess, I'll call Mark and let him know you're fine," he offered.

"Don't bother," Jessie said, not even glancing at him. She kept her eyes on Nate. "How exactly are you going to get my boys back, Mr. Ford?"

"Right now we are waiting for Mr. Wake to discover you're no longer where he left you," Nate told her honestly. "Once he does, we'll be able to draw him out to where we can make sure he never does something like this again."

"Okay. But what I want to know is, why did this happen in the first place?"

Nate sent a quick glance at Eliot, who shook his head vehemently. "Let's just say someone Eliot has dealt with in the past decided to exact revenge," he said taking care to keep it vague. It was not his place to explain and he did not want to get in the middle of what would undoubtedly be a sibling spat.

Sophie, exuding compassion, reached over and patted the other woman's hand. "You won't have anything to worry about," she said.

"I'm a mom. I worry," Jessie informed her.

The conversation was interrupted by the ringtone of a cell phone. "That would be the phone call we've been expecting," Nate said, nodding at Eliot. "Mrs. Emerson, I know this may be a difficult request, but you must not say anything during this phone call."

Reluctantly, Jessie gave a nod. Hardison set the phone on the tiny table that was next to the woman and accepted the call, setting it to speaker phone as he did so. "Yeah?" Eliot said gruffly.

"I presume as you left my men alive that you're satisfied with the care I took with Miss Emerson?" Alan Wake's voice responded, lightly as though he had no concerns. "Might I compliment you on your beautiful companion? I had been given to understand you prefer to work alone."

Glancing at Jessie, Nate saw her clench her jaw, but she remained silent. "You'll pay for even touching her," Eliot said in answer. "This is the only warning you're going to get."

"Likewise, Spencer," Wake said, his voice becoming frigid. "We have both shown we are not to be manipulated so I believe we may now come to an agreement."

"How about I just find my nephews and then come after you?"

Jessie's eyes widened as she stared at her brother. If Nate had to guess, he would have said she knew nothing about the kind of life her brother had led since he joined the army. However Eliot had managed that, Nate could respect the reasoning behind it.

Wake laughed, but another sound came through the speaker: that of a child shouting. "I wouldn't advise such a course," the businessman said. "It would not end well for one of these dear boys."

Nate waved his hand, encouraging Eliot to continue the conversation. "Explain," was all the hitter said, his voice tight with controlled anger.

"You see, if I hear you are taking steps to steal back these children, whichever one you are not on the verge of reclaiming will be killed."

All color leaving her face, Jessie leaned forward. Swiftly, Sophie caught the woman's hand and kept her from grabbing the phone. She shook her head when Jessie sent an appealingly desperate look at her.

"Do that and nothing on this earth will stop me from getting to you," Eliot growled.

"Oh, I have no doubt about that, but how will Miss Emerson endure the loss of a child? Would you make her choose which one to save? Leave it to chance and wonder if she should have chosen? Is that such a thing you want to have hanging over her head?"

Tears glistened in Jessie's eyes. "What do you want?" her brother asked, sending a quick look in her direction. A muscle twitched in his jaw, but beyond that his face was expressionless.

"What I have always wanted: my possession. You know the necklace."

"All of this for a blackmarket bauble?"

Again, Wake laughed. "Perhaps a few other little acquisitions that have eluded me these past few years. I would be a fool not to take advantage of Eliot Spencer's skills while I have him in my clutches. I almost regret not having some rival I would like to see dead."

A gasp left Jessie's lips, followed by, "You're a monster!"

"Ah, Miss Emerson, I'd hoped you would be there," Wake said in answer. "Your son would like to speak with you."

There was a pause. "Nate, this had to change things," Hardison said in the silence, keeping his voice low. Nate waved his hand dismissively.

"Mom?" A young voice came through the phone.

A half sob left Jessie's lips. "James. James, everything is going be alright, buddy," she said, her voice wobbling slightly but for the most part she managed to sound calm. "You're going to be home before you know it, alright?"

"Mom, I tried to stay with Eddie, but they took him away!" The boy's voice revealed just how close he was to tears. "I told him to be brave."

"It's not your fault, James," Jessie said quickly. "You're being a good big brother and very brave. I'm going to see you soon. You want to know why? Because your uncle Eliot is with me. He's going to make sure you come home to me."

"Cuz he's as brave as Great-uncle Hubb."

Jessie smiled and nodded, even though she knew her son wouldn't see it. "Yes, he is. Remember I love you, alright. I'll see you soon."

"Mom—!" James' voice was cut off by a sharp click.

Silence reigned in the room. Slowly, Jessie pushed herself up. "Mr. Ford, I don't care what it takes," she said, choosing each word with deliberation. "I want to see this man destroyed for what he has done."

"Mrs. Emerson, that won't be a problem at all," Nate said sincerely.


	5. Chapter 5

Dawn found Jessie standing at the second stairway railing, steaming cup of coffee in her hand. She sipped the brew, staring at the first rays of sun beginning to show on the horizon. When a door opened and closed nearby, she knew without looking that her brother was joining her.

"Did you get any sleep?"

Memories of seeing every hour until she'd finally given up drifted through her mind. The room she had been given had smelled, and she suspected the carpet hadn't been vacuumed in at least a year. "Sleep? On that hard mattress?" Jessie said with a scoff. "Hardly."

With a chuckle, the tall, muscular man came up beside her. "Why did Wake call you 'Miss Emerson?'" Eliot asked, resting his arms against the metal railing. "A man like him, well he does his homework. He wouldn't make a big mistake like that. It got me thinking and I realized something."

"I was hoping you hadn't caught that."

"You didn't want me to call your husband," Eliot continued as though she hadn't spoken. "In fact, you completely ignored me every time I even mentioned your husband. So, what happened to Mark, Jess?"

Sighing, Jessie shook her head. "He's just not around. It has nothing to do with any of this, Eliot."

Raising his eyebrow, Eliot leveled a stern look at her. "Jess. Be straight with me."

"What do you want me to say?" Jessie demanded. "My husband decided a new baby was not in his life plan, and instead found a pretty little blonde to be his 'companion' on a trip to Las Vegas. He took every penny of our savings and left me with the boys. He's gone and I don't know where he is."

"I'm going to break his nose."

Leaning her head back, Jessie let out a laugh. "You know. He probably didn't take that into account."

Her brother grinned and then became serious. "So, what? You divorced him?"

"You can't divorce someone without money, Eliot, and not knowing exactly where the other person is makes it a whole lot harder too."

With a nod, Eliot looked out at the parking lot. "We'll see about that."

There was a threat in his words that sent a shiver down the woman's back, but she tried to reason that it was the chill of the morning. "What are you involved in?" she asked softly. She knew she shouldn't ask but she just couldn't seem to stop herself.

Sighing, Eliot moved his focus to her. "It's a long story, and not one I want to tell right now." His sister opened her mouth to protest. "No. That kind of knowledge could get you in trouble, Jessie. Worse than the mess you're in already."

"Yeah, that's what I thought you'd say." Jessie sipped her swiftly cooling coffee. The taste wasn't as good as she'd originally thought. "So that's why you didn't tell me you were in the States."

Eliot reached over and put his arm around her shoulders. "You should have called me. I could have helped you out financially. How hard are you having to work? You're only this cranky when you haven't had enough sleep."

"I work as hard as is necessary to keep food in the cupboards and a roof over my boys' heads. What else was I supposed to do?"

"I'm not saying you should have done anything else," Eliot said defensively, his tone frustrated. "I just...wish you hadn't had to do it alone. You could have gone home."

Rolling her eyes, Jessie shook her head. " _This_ is my sons' home. I'm not going to drag them away from everything they've known."

"Yeah, I suppose that's true." Eliot paused a moment. "Are you still telling them those tall tales about our great, great uncles?"

"They're not tall tales."

"Are you kidding me, Jess? Two young men decided to go to Europe during a world war, get shanghaied, conscripted into the Foreign Legion, and fight great battles across Africa? Not to mention a princess they saved from an evil sheikh. Is there any part of that story that sounds real?"

"Actually, it sounds exactly like something a man in our family would do," Jessie told him, her tone perfectly serious. "Be honest. You would have if you'd lived back then and you're doing the modern day equivalent now."

Pausing, Eliot shook his head. "All I know is that you seem to have inherited the McCann madness."

* * *

"Aw, look at them," Sophie said from where she was watching the Spencer siblings talk. "They're adorable."

Nate and Parker were studying plans of one of Alan Wake's buildings, mapping out the best way a thief would infiltrate the building. "Stop spying on them, Soph," the mastermind said without looking up. "Now, since Wake has seen you, you're going to have to take a backseat on the con we use."

"I knew I should have let Eliot handle the extraction. I don't want to stay in the van with Hardison," Sophie said, letting the curtain fall back over the window. "Why can't we ever stay somewhere nice when we travel?"

"Because we need to come and go as we please, without someone taking notice of it," Hardison said, keeping his eyes on his laptop screen. He'd been up all night, if the empty orange soda bottle surrounding him were any indication. "Hey, Nate. I think you're going to be interested in this."

Straightening up, Nate rubbed at a crick in his neck. "What is it Hardison?"

"Mr. Alan Wake recently made a deal to expand his company," Hardison explained. "There's talk of a newly discovered oil field. He'll make millions on it. To celebrate, he's throwing a huge party at his mansion."

"Millions?" Parker repeated, her eyes gleaming as they did whenever money was mentioned. "Are we going to steal it all?"

"Well, then, we just might need to get ourselves invited to this party," Nate said, ignoring her. "In fact, I think this is going to be exactly what we need."

"What are you thinking, Nate?" Sophie asked curiously.

"How do you think Mr. Wake would feel if the piece of jewelry he has been trying to reacquire showed up at his party?" the former insurance man asked, looking satisfied with himself. "Especially since he just sent Eliot after it?"

The others exchanged glances. "I don't think he'd like that very much," Hardison said slowly. "But, Nate. That necklace is in New York."

Nate simply smiled.

* * *

Eddie believed he was having the worst day of his life. Ever. Worse than when he wet his pants at school or Annabelle tried to kiss him. Being tied up in a dark room was not as exciting as he might've thought at once.

James had been taken away a long time ago and hadn't come back. A big guy had turned a light on once since then and had untied him long enough for him to eat a stale sandwich and drink a lukewarm bottle of water.

Where was Mom? Was she ok, or had the bad guys caught her too?

The more he thought about it, the more upset he got. He tried to remember the stories his mom and James had told him. He devised a plan to be just as brave as his great, great whatever uncles had been.

For a moment, the light blinded him when it came on. Still, he kept the cocky grin on his face as the big man came near again. "Defend yourself!" the young boy declared with as much confidence and ferocity as he could muster.

"What?" the man asked stupidly.

As hard as he could, Eddie kicked out and was rewarded with a yelp of pain when his foot connected with the man's uncle. Wouldn't James be proud of him when he learned!


	6. Chapter 6

Dressed in a smart business suit, blonde ponytail swinging with every step, Parker strode into the office building, looking for all the world like she belonged there. She was completely focused on her task and went straight to the elevator. Just before the door closed, she stepped on, offering a brief smile to the other occupants.

"Hello gorgeous," one of the men said, his gaze moving up and down. "I don't think I've seen you here before."

Annoyed but determined to keep it cool, Parker offered a polite smile and then stared at the elevator door. The man leaned forward. "What floor are you going to, sweetheart?" he asked right next to her ear. "Maybe we're headed to the same place."

Back at the hotel, Jessie leaned forward. Though Nate had tried, with tact, get her to leave, she had stayed. "That sounds like Mark's voice," she said, tilting her head. "Why would he be in that office building?"

Across from her, a growl sounded in Eliot's throat, which made Hardison look nervous. "Eliot, not now," Nate said, steepling his fingers. "Parker, stay focused and don't hurt him. You have a job to do, remember."

Sophie chuckled, putting her hand over the receiver of the phone in her hand. "We can make him a little nervous, though, can't we? Parker. Here's what I'd like you to say."

On the elevator, Parker gritted her teeth, keeping her smile in place as she faced Mark Emerson. "Aren't you Jessie's husband?" she asked, her voice cheerful. She adjusted her black rimmed glasses. "How are the boys? Last I heard you had a new baby on the way."

The man's face paled and he tugged on his shirt collar. "I think you've mistaken me for someone else." The other men in the tiny space had grins of their faces.

"No, I don't think so," Parker said, her smile becoming a full fledged grin as she persisted. "Your boys are James and Eddie. They look so much like you!"

The man cleared his throat and stuttered. "N-no. Y-you're mistaken." The elevator door slid open then and he bolted off.

Parker returned to staring at the door once it closed and no one else seemed inclined to speak to her. She reached the floor she wanted and none of the other passengers followed her off, which was exactly what she wanted.

She ignored the receptionist, who was involved in an attempt to remain calm while the British woman on the other end demanded to know if it was true about the oil spills. Parker slipped into the large office and sat behind the desk.

"This guy has nothing interesting," she complained as she slipped the device Hardison had given her. "No art on the walls unless you count the cheap portrait of it's probably hiding is a safe or something. How are we supposed to take this guy for all he's worth if he has nothing worthwhile?"

"Check the safe, Parker, but it's not important," Nate instructed. "We're after more than his spare change."

Heaving a sigh, and disappointed that there wasn't more to do, the woman spun the chair around and stood up. She pulled the painting down, uncovering the safe, and then focused on picking the lock.

* * *

At the hotel, Hardison scanned through the information that was now available to him. "Hey, Nate," he said, getting the mastermind's attention. "Take a look at this."

The computer was at just the right angle that Jessie couldn't see. Nate leaned over and examined the screen with no trace of interest. "That's what I thought," was all the mastermind said. "Make sure Parker gets out without a problem. I need her tomorrow night."

Sophie gave a huff. "Well that was rude," she said, pulling the phone from her ear.

Jessie glanced around at them. "I really don't understand what's going on."

"Trust me. You don't want to understand," Eliot told her. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"If I wanted something, I would tell you." Jessie waited for half a second and then added, "But since you're asking. I would like chocolate."

Hardison lifted his head. "Nononono," he said quickly. "We cannot bring chocolate in here. Do you hear me? If Parker gets her hands on that stuff...you haven't seen trouble until you've seen Parker on sugar."

"But I want chocolate. And pickles." Jessie's expression became mutinous.

Parker's voice came through the speaker. "Hey, Nate. Wake has a gun in this safe."

* * *

The man who brought in James' food had a distinct limp. "Don't you give me the same kind of trouble as your brother, boy," he warned, staying a good yard away from James' feet. He put the tray down and gave it a good shove.

What had Eddie done? James felt more than a little pride that his younger brother had managed to get a solid hit in, enough so that their captors were wary.

"Let me guess. You didn't defend yourself," James said, letting his grin show. As hungry as he was, he didn't move to take the food. He'd read enough and seen enough TV to know it could be poisoned or drugged. Something like that.

With a snarl, the man turned away.

James counted it as a victory as the room became dark. After several moments, his eyes readjusted to the light and he reached for the sandwich. There was no reason to let good food go to waste.

As he ate, a vaguely familiar voice reached his ears. "Dad?"

* * *

It was interesting to watch the team prepare to leave. Hardison was packing up computer equipment, and obsessing over whether it was enough. Nate was reading from a stack of printouts. Parker had changed from her business attire into a black dress, a gold necklace around her throat.

The blonde was restlessly pacing the room, trying to balance on her high heels. "These are impractical for thieving," she complained.

On the far side of the room, Eliot flipped a knife and slid it into a sheath. "You're not a thief tonight, Parker," he reminded. "It don't matter if it's practical or not."

Sophie stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in black. "Nate, what if it's the same goons from before," she said as though it had just come to her. "They're bound to recognize me."

"And what if Emerson recognizes me?" Parker asked, spinning around. "He'll be at this party, won't he? What's he going to say about the person who was in his elevator but claims to be from New York?"

Jessie couldn't tell if this was normal behavior or not. She almost thought the nervous behavior was for her benefit, though she couldn't think of why that was. It wasn't making her feel any better, or soothing her already frayed nerves.

"I've taken everything into consideration," Nate said with immense patience. Jessie couldn't work out how he managed to take everything in stride. "It's a simple con. We've done this a hundred times before. He won't see us coming."

"I'm going to assume I'm not supposed to understand how this all connects," Jessie commented, waving her hand.

"When it's over, you will."

"Am I supposed to be reassured by that?"

Eliot crossed the room to pat her shoulder. "Nope," he said succinctly. "Come on. You'll be with Hardison in the van."

Giving her only brother a glare, Jessie pushed herself to her feet. "Great. As long as we're all on the same page," she said. A twinge in her back almost took her breath away, and she curled her fingers on the edge of the table to keep her balance.

"Are you alright?" Sophie asked, catching the woman's pause while everyone else was headed for the door.

Jessie forced a smile. "Of course. I'm ready to get my sons back."

For a moment, she thought the brunette woman would say something. Then, Sophie patted her arm and went out. "C'mon, Jess," Eliot called from the doorway.

Taking a deep breath, Jessie let go of the table and headed for the door.


	7. Chapter 7

A string quartet played on one end of the room and a crowd of well dressed men and women milled around the room. It was exactly the kind of event Sophie would excel at. As it was, Nate stood in the doorway with Parker on his arm.

"What if I stab someone?" Parker asked through her smile.

"Please don't," Nate said, keeping a smug smile on his face. He caught a drink from one of the passing waiters. "Eliot, let us know when Sophie is in place."

Eliot's grunt of agreement could be heard in their ears. Parker's hand tightened on Nate's arm. "There's Jessie's husband," she said, leaning her head to the left. "Can I stab him?"

"Hey, if anyone is going to stab him, it's going to be me!" Jessie's outraged voice sounded over the earpieces. "What is my husband even doing there? I don't understand why he's a part of this whole thing in the first place."

"I'll explain later," Nate said as he began to move forward. His eyes were on their target, Alan Wake, who was in deep conversation with someone he recognized as the owner of the oil company Wake was about to acquire. "Alright. We can't let him see us too soon."

"Can I at least have some fun in the meantime?" Parker asked, her eyes on the pieces of art that were displayed around the room.

"Focus, Parker."

* * *

In a different part of town, Sophie smiled as she listened to Eliot relay the interchange. She'd fought to be able to guide Parker through the party, but Nate had told her she had enough on her plate. As she glanced out the car window at the house, she shook her head.

"Eliot, I'm ready," she said.

"Be careful, Soph," the hitter responded a moment later. The pair were communicating on their own separate channel. Nate thought it would help Jessie stay calm and hadn't mentioned it. "These guys could be dangerous and if the same ones are in there, they might remember you."

"I hope they do."

* * *

Impatiently, Jessie drummed her fingers on her leg. There was another sharp twinge in her back that took her breath away. The hacker didn't say anything as he focused on the rest of the team, keeping the headphone pressed close to his ear. His fingers moved on the keyboard quickly as he checked the different security cameras and who knew what else.

It had only been two hours since they'd left the hotel. Nate and Parker had gone their way, Eliot had gone another, and Sophie had gone yet another way. Sitting in the van, watching Hardison watch the cameras, made time pass even more slowly.

A slight scraping sound distracted her from the pain in her back. "Hardison, did you hear that?" Jessie asked in a whisper. She tilted her head as she listened carefully.

Again, she didn't get a response from the hacker, who seemed to be taking a lot of interest in the conversation Parker was having with a millionaire. Jessie heard the sound and thought it was coming from outside the van. "I think someone is out there."

"Did you say something?" Hardison finally asked, looking over.

"I think there's someone outside of this van," Jessie hissed in a whisper. "Are we in some kind of danger here?"

Surprised, Hardison glanced over his shoulder. "Just ignore it," he said, trying to be soothing. He really wasn't a fan of having anyone taking up space in his van, unless it was Parker. Jessie was definitely not Parker. "People go past vehicles every day. They won't notice us at all if we just stay—"

He was interrupted by a loud knock on the back door. "Really?" Jessie asked.

"I'll handle this." Hardison climbed to the back and opened the door slightly. " _Si? No entiendo Inglés. Estoy muy ocupado."_

"Get out of the van."

Jessie stiffened, recognizing the voice as belonging to the man she'd dubbed Goon B. " _Seňor, no entiendo Inglés. Estoy muy ocupado,"_ Hardison repeated, but then he put his hands up slowly. " _Seňor,_ I am simple maintenance man. No need for guns."

"Get out of the van. The woman too."

* * *

Inside the party, Nate sipped from yet another glass of champagne, when all he really wanted was something stronger. He checked the time and saw that an hour had passed since Eliot had given notice that Sophie was in place. Hardison had been silent for some time, which Nate took to mean he was busy with the technical side of things.

"I'm in," came over the comms.

"Alright, Parker," Nate said without moving his lips. "Let's spook him."

He watched as the blonde young woman pickpocketed the older millionaire as she took her leave of him. "This is fun," she said breezily as she joined Nate. She linked arms with him."I should do this more often. Is this why Sophie enjoys it?"

"I don't think she is quite as enthusiastic about the same aspects of this as you," Nate said, starting forward. With Parker slipping behind him, he walked right up to Alan Wake. "You throw a good party, Mr. Wake."

Giving a dismissive nod to the man he had been talking to, Alan Wake gave Nate his full attention. "Your name seems to have escaped me for the moment."

"I'm sure, with all these guests. My name's Larson. Sy Larson," Nate said, extending his hand. "And this is my...shall we say, companion, Alice Meyers." As he made the introduction, Parker popped up next to him, a smile on her face.

Wake's eyes went to the gold necklace that graced Parker's neck.

* * *

Standing outside the van, Hardison kept his hands over his head. "Look, guys, you really don't want to do this."

"Shut up. You. Put your hands up."

On Hardison's right, Jessie stood with her arms crossed. "No." All of the men stared at her. "I don't think you realize just how uncomfortable I already am," she said, her tone even. "I'm not putting my hands up."

"Girl, do you not see the guns?" Hardison asked, barely moving his lips. "It's usually a good idea not to anger the men who are pointing them at us. Not just you. Us."

"Both of you, shut up!" Goon B snarled. "Mr. Wake thought Spencer would have help, some kind of surveillance, nearby but the boss didn't think he would be so stupid to have his sister. I think we'll get a raise for this."

Jessie gave a sharp cry and doubled over. She grabbed the door, her knuckles white. "Whoa, whoa," Hardison exclaimed, bringing his hand down. "Jess. Hold on! Whoa, whoa. Fellas, I think she's going into labor. Call 911 or something. Tell me one of you know's how to catch."

"What?" the unfamiliar gunman asked, his gun coming down slightly.

"What? Are you blind, man? What do you think happens when you stress out a pregnant woman?" Hardison asked, grabbing Jessie's shoulders. "Just breathe, Jess."

The gunman uncertainly stepped closer. "Are you serious?

Spinning around, Hardison grabbed the gun in the man's hand and pulled the man forward. His action and following punch stunned the man. Goon B tried to aim at Hardison, but Jessie used her left hand to reach into the van. She pulled out rope and harness that clearly belonged to Parker, and Jessie flung it at the man as hard as she could.

The ropes tangled around the man's arm, hampering his ability to aim properly. It didn't stop him from shooting anyway, but the bullet pinged off one of the nearby cars. That slight sound was enough to catch Hardison's attention.

Pulling on everything Eliot had attempted to teach him since the crew had come together, Hardison grabbed on the ropes and pulled the goon off balance. Once the gun was out fo the man's hands, it wasn't too hard for the hacker to bring him down.

Breathing heavily, Hardison looked at the unconscious men that lay on the ground. "Who says a geek can't defend himself," he said with some pride. He turned around. "That was some quick thinking you did there. I don't think I could have thought of a better distraction, well given enough time I could...Jessie? Jessie, are you alright? Please tell me you're alright. Eliot will kill me if you're not alright."

The woman was sitting on the bumper of the van, half bent over. Her breathing was in short, gasping spurts. "Not...a distraction. The baby is coming," she managed to say.

"Wait. Now? Like right now? Aren't you supposed to have your water break or something like that?" Hardison asked, trying to keep his panic down.

"I've gone into labor before. I know what this is," Jessie said, her tone sharp with irritation and pain. Her fingers were curled on the bumper so tightly her knuckles were white. "Hardison, you have to get me to a hospital."

"Right. Yes. Absolutely." Hardison said quickly, sending a glance at the van. "Should I help you into the van? What do you need?"

"Yes, help me."

Almost tripping over his own feet, Hardison scrambled to her and put his arm around her back. His eyes bulged but he kept from making a sound when she clutched his hand tightly. "Alright, girl. I got you."

"Just get me to the hospital."

"Wait. Shouldn't I let Eliot—"

Much to his surprise, and extreme pain, Jessie's hand tightened even more. "Don't you dare," she said, her voice having a note similar to Eliot's when the hitter was completely serious about something. "Do not say a word about this until they have both of my boys safe. Do you understand me? Not. One. Word."

"Alright. Alright," Hardison said, trying not to grimace. "I won't say anything."


	8. Chapter 8

"That's an...interesting necklace you have there, Miss Meyers," Wake said, recovering himself. "Where did you get it?"

Giggling, Parker brought her hand up to the necklace. "From Sy, of course," she said, wrapping her arms around Nate's arm. She moved her beaming smile from Nate to their mark. "You'll have to ask him where he got it."

"I'm sorry to tell you that it's the only one in the world," Nate said, getting into character. "I hear you're expanding your kingdom, Mr. Wake."

The change of subject seemed to unsettle their mark. "Uh, yes, that's true," Wake said. "If you'll excuse me, there's a phone call I have to make."

Wake hurried away from them as Nate said, "Certainly, certainly." The mastermind and thief watched as their mark went straight to Mark Emerson. "Alright, Eliot. He's going to notify security. It's now or never. Hardison, the time starts now."

Parker lost her smile and frowned when there wasn't some quip from the hacker. Nate started to say something to get Hardison's attention, but was interrupted by a masked man entering the room. "Alright, nobody move! Remove all your jewelry, our wallets, everything of value. I want it in the middle of the room. Now."

The guns in his hands made everyone move quickly. Wake and Emerson stared at the masked man as the guests removed all of their jewelry. All of it ended up in a pile. When Parker approached the pile with her necklace, something Wake watched with keen eyes, she hesitated long enough that Nate pulled her back.

"You all can thank your host for this," Eliot announced as he scooped up the haul. He managed to keep his gun aimed at the guests as he did. "This is what you wanted, isn't it, Mr. Wake?"

He tossed the ornate necklace over to Wake, who caught it instinctively. "Hey, what's this all about?" Nate called out, projecting his voice.

"I am sure I don't know," Wake said, dropping the necklace as though it were a hot potato. The glare he sent Eliot was threatening. "I don't know who you are but there are consequences for things like this."

"You know you're right. Just like there are consequences when you cut corners when it comes to the safety of your workers."

Nate turned his gaze to the big screen tvs that were hanging. The precision he expected from his crew faltered as they remained blank.

"You're insane," Wake hissed at Eliot. "You won't get away with this."

"Hardison, any time," Nate muttered.

The tvs remained blank and the other guests were getting restless. "Hardison!" Parker hissed.

In an instant, color lit up the screens showing structural collapses, oil spills, and tax papers with specific numbers circled that showed discrepancies. Everyone's attention swung to them. "Sorry about that," Hardison said in their ears.

With relief, Nate glanced at where Eliot had been. The hitter had taken advantage of the distraction and was gone. "Folks, this is clearly not what it looks like," Wake called out.

"I'm calling my lawyer!" Parker shouted enthusiastically.

"Hardison, tell me you haven't been slacking off and that you have everything," Nate said as similar calls, the guests having not forgotten the necklace, sounded.

There was a pause. "When have I ever failed you guys?" the hacker asked, sounding both offended and stressed. "Yes, I got it all."

"What took you so long?" Eliot demanded, joining the conversation. "Where is the van, Hardison?"

Nate and Parker slipped out a side door. "Right. Yes. Well, there was a...slight change in plans," Hardison responded, distinct nervousness in his voice. "Oh, look. I've picked up Wake's text to Emerson to get the boys."

"Hardison, what change of plans?"

* * *

Mark Emerson ran into the parking lot, pulling his keys out of the pocket of his tuxedo jacket. He reached a sporty, black mustang, and he fumbled to unlock the door. A hand grabbed the back of his jacket and jerked him around.

"Long time, no see, Emerson," Eliot said, shoving his brother-in-law up against the car.

"E-Eliot," the man stammered. "If anything happens to me—"

"What makes you think anything is going to happen to you?" Eliot asked, his face close to the other man's. "What have you done wrong? Besides running out on my sister and leaving her to take care of your kids?"

Valiantly, Emerson tried to shove Eliot away. "I did what was best for my family."

"Is that what you call abandonment? What about all the women, Emerson?" Eliot demanded, his eyes sparking with anger. "Or how about kidnapping? You do know that your new employer planned on killing James and Eddie?"

"Only if you didn't do what you were supposed to, you idiot! I thought the one thing that mattered to you was family." Emerson gave a snort of derision. "I guess Jessie doesn't know you as well as she thinks she does."

Eliot gave a low chuckle. "You were in there just now. I gave him exactly what he wanted and what he deserved."

"He doesn't see it that way. Spencer, if you don't let me go, the boys will die."

"No, they won't. Now, how long were you a part of this? Tell me the truth and I might not break every bone in your body."

For a moment, Emerson hesitated and then the words began to pour out if his mouth. How Wake had approached him nine months ago, how he'd been offered everything he wanted. "Look, you have to understand. I love Jessie and the boys, I do. But a new baby is just more than I can handle and those women were really hot."

Eliot's hands tightened and then relaxed. "You got that Hardison? Good." He pulled his brother-in-law away from the car. "Give me your keys."

His hand shaking, Emerson did as he was ordered. "What are you doing?"

"Someone needs to be with Jess and you can expect to be hearing from her lawyers within the week." Eliot took one step away, paused, and then turned back around. "Since she isn't here to do this herself, I guess I'm going to have to."

Before Emerson could react, Elot punched him square in the jaw. The man stumbled back a few steps and then collapsed, one hand on his nose. "You broke my nose!"

"Yeah. And that's the least of what you deserve." Eliot opened the door of the car and got in.

* * *

When Parker and Nate walked into the waiting room, they found Hardison with a laptop. "Are you even supposed to have that?" Nate asked.

"Well, you know. It's amazing what benefits a sizable donation will get you," Hardison said, barely glancing up. "Sophie is just arriving now, and I assume Eliot is on his way. The FBI, the local cops, and the state police have all pulled up at Wake's house now."

"Why aren't you with Jessie?" Parker asked, flopping into one of the uncomfortable chairs. Still dressed in the formal wear she'd put on for the party, she looked out of place in the setting.

Hardison lifted a shocked expression to her. "Nonono. I just got her here. That is as far as my responsibility went. You have to be like family or the father or something to be back there, and I am none of those things. I thought I'd have to google how to deliver a baby a couple times on the way here and that is not something I want on my resume at the end of the day."

"Uncle Eliot!"

At the youthful exclamation, Nate turned to see Sophie coming down the hallway. Eliot was steps behind her, with one young boy in his arms and another trying to climb his way up Eliot's leg.

"James, Eddie, why don't we let your uncle go find your mother," Sophie suggested. "My friend Parker will take you to the vending machines and get you a snack."

A grin appearing on her face, Parker rose. "Use money, Parker. Do not break the machines," Nate warned before she could go a step. The words brought a pout to the young woman's face but she continued on. Eddie slipped to the floor and took off after her.

James hesitated though. "I need to help Mom," he said, his eyes anxious.

Eliot knelt in front of his nephew. "You're thinking like the man of the house, James," he said seriously. "But, I'm here now. I'll look after your mom. You can look out for Eddie."

"Is Dad going to jail?"

"I don't know, buddy. He might."

The boy gave a serious nod, spun on his heel, and ran to catch up to his little brother. Barely giving the rest of the crew a nod, Eliot straightened and went to the nurse's desk. He vanished beyond closed doors moments later.

Sophie stepped up beside Nate. "If you say it's adorable one more time," the mastermind warned.

"Well, it is," Sophie said with a smile. "Now, do I get to see the authorities taking Alan Wake away in handcuffs because if I couldn't enjoy a good party, and I want something else to brighten up my day."

"As if you didn't enjoy grifting several unsuspecting men."

That made the grifter laugh. "It was child's play, Nate. They didn't even see me coming."


	9. Chapter 9

Hours passed and it slowly became early morning. Eddie, having filled up on junk food, was out cold on one the small sofas, though James was restlessly watching Parker pick a lock she'd pulled out of nowhere. Hardison's donation had ensured the crew was left alone. The hacker was busy keeping track of Wake's downfall, making sure all of the evidence he'd collected found its way to the right people.

"How'd you know there was going to be tax fraud?" Parker asked curiously.

"In a large corporation, run by a selfish man, there's more than likely going to be tax fraud," Nate answered, keeping his voice low. "It was just a matter of finding it."

"And the cutting corners?"

Hardison chuckled. "That was more like a good guess."

"All we really had to do was get in, play with Wake's head, and leave with all his money," Nate said, his tone brooking no argument. "Each of the small things wouldn't have been enough to keep him down, but he'll be in prison for a long time because of everything he's done over time."

At that moment, Eliot came through the closed doors. The hitter had a disposable gown over his clothes. As he approached, the team all straightened up. James went still, his eyes widening with apprehension. Once he reached them, Eliot grinned. "Jess and the baby are going to be fine."

Relief and jubilation spread at the announcement. "Can I go see them?" James asked, shaking his brother's shoulder.

"Not yet, bud, but soon."

* * *

Sitting up in her hospital bed, Jessie smiled when Sophie opened the door slightly and rapped lightly on the wood. "You all can come in," Eliot said from where he was leaning over his sister. "Just keep your voices down, alright?"

"I can't guarantee that these two young men with us will be able to manage that," the grifter responded cheerfully. She glanced over her shoulder and made a gesture.

"Eliot, will you hold her so I can hug my boys?" Jessie asked.

Gingerly, Eliot lifted the sleeping bundle from his sister's arms. It was just in time because James and Eddie burst into the room. "Mom!" they both exclaimed as they rushed for their mother.

"Hey, hey! Quietly," Eliot said as his nephews climbed onto the bed. "Or else you'll wake the baby."

"Oh, boys," Jessie said, hugging her sons tightly. "I'm so glad you're alright."

The rest of the Leverage team entered, making the room feel tinier than it had before. Jessie looked over Eddie's head. "Thank you so much for bringing my boys back to me," she said. "How did you ever manage it?"

"It was our pleasure, Jessie, and it's probably best if you don't know exactly how it happened," Nate said to her. He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with where he was. "We have a little something for you."

Hardison stepped forward —as much as he could in the crowded room, that is—and handed over a slim file. "This is a portion of the money we made off this case. Now, I've invested the majority of it, and with the interest you should be able to be a stay at home mom again to raise your kids."

Amazed, Jessie took the file. "I-I wasn't expecting—"

"And your husband, or should I say, your soon to be ex-husband won't be able to touch it after the divorce is finalized," Sophie informed her.

Mixed emotions crossed Jessie's face. "I don't know how I feel—"

"So that's from Nate and Sophie," Hardison said, interrupting her quickly. He pulled a box from the bag that hung on his arm. "And this is from me. The highest rated, top of the line baby monitor system on the planet. No one is hacking this thing. It picks up even the slightest sound, so you'll know exactly what's going on in the baby room."

"It's tiny," Parker observed, staring at the baby.

" _She_ is a newborn, Parker. They're supposed to be small," Eliot told her, the unspoken 'something's not right with you' in his tone.

"Parker, didn't you have something for the baby or Jessie?" Hardison asked, pointedly lifting the bag which clearly had something else in it.

"Oh, right!" Parker exclaimed, spinning around. She bounced over to Hardison and took the bag from him. "I know Hardison thinks his investments are safe and everything, but I prefer to have something more solid. So, this is for you."

After a nudge from his mother, James was the one who took it and he nearly dropped the bag. "It's really heavy," he reported, his eyes wide. He dragged it to the foot of the bed and left it there.

"Parker, did you just give them gold bars?" Sophie asked in a whisper.

"Of course I did. Gold is the best," the blonde young woman answered without shame. "Only one, though. It was the best I could do on short notice."

James and Eddie both looked rather confused as Jessie laughed. "So," Nate said, eager to change the subject. "What are you going to name your daughter?"

Jessie's smile widened. "Jasmine. Jasmine Elinora Emerson."

Her two sons exchanged high fives, clearly delighted with the name. "Jasmine?" Sophie repeated with a puzzled frown. "It's lovely."

"It's a family name," Eddie confided with a grin.

"What? It is not. Jess, you've got to find some other stories to tell these boys," Eliot said, shaking his head. "Before you know it, they'll be off doing who knows what because they want adventure."

"Alright. You've mentioned these stories several times," Hardison said. "Why don't you let the rest of us in on this 'family story?'"

Eddie bounced up and down on the bed. "I'll tell it! I'll tell it!" he said enthusiastically. "A long time ago, our great, great-uncle's Hub and Garth McCann went to Europe in the summer of 1914. They were shanghaied and fought in the Foreign Legion. Hub rescued a princess named Jasmine and married her."

The boy spoke so quickly his words ran together, and the team looked at Eliot for translation. "It's a crazy family story," Eliot said dismissively. "Our mother was a McCann and would tell us the story to put us to bed at night."

Both of his nephews vocalised how scandalized they were by that sentiment, and the noise woke Jasmine. The baby let out a wail that made Parker jump back, eyes wide. Eliot was quick to pass his new niece back to his sister. Gently, Jessie hushed the baby.

"Well, we're going to leave you to rest," Nate said, anxious to leave the hospital.

"Thank you for everything you've done," Jessie said, smiling at them all. "Even if it's all Eliot's fault in the first place."

Nate expertly herded his team out, with Eliot hanging back. "Dad should be here in a few hours to take the boys off your hands. If you ever need anything," he began to say.

"Nate will be the first person I call."

"Ha ha. I'm being serious, sis. I'll be here if you need anything."

"I know, and I appreciate that. At the same time, though, I don't want to take you away from the others," Jessie said, nodding towards the door. "They need you, more than the boys and I do. So, you keep your family safe, Eliot. That's what will make me happy."

"Keep your mother and sister safe," Eliot said, moving his gaze to his nephews. The boys had opened up Parker's bag and were staring inside with awe. They looked up long enough to nod before they both tried to tell their mother what was in the bag.

Jessie's attention went to her sons and Eliot left the room. His teammates were waiting for him. "All good?" Nate asked.

Eliot gave a nod. "Let's go."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Thank you, everyone, for reading! I hope you enjoyed my first Leverage tale.**_


End file.
